Supreme Court quashes Adamawa, Benue guber appeals for lack of merit

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed appeals filed against the governorship elections in Adamawa and Benue states for lack of merit and failure to establish purported over voting in the March 9, 2019 polls.

While Justice Datijo Mohammed ruled on Adamawa State appeal, Justice Sylvester Nguta delivered judgment in the Benue State suit.

Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, who led a seven-man panel that heard both appeals, earlier suspended proceedings in judgments on the governorship election disputes in Adamawa and Benue states till 2 pm and reconvened at 2:24 pm.

The appeals, filed by candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenged the election of governors Samuel Ortom of Benue and Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa, who are candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Besides, jubilation erupted in Makurdi following Supreme Court’s verdict affirming the election of Governor Samuel Ortom as the rightful winner of last year’s gubernatorial election.

The Guardian sighted jubilant groups among them traders, commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders, PDP supporters, associates and others who chanted victory and solidarity songs on the streets and all the way to Government House, Makurdi.

A trader, Mrs. Movihinze Ate, said the APC governorship candidate, Emmanuel Jime was only trying to reap where he did not sow and commended the Supreme Court for the ruling.

Also, a former Senate President and Chieftain of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu said he was not surprised that the Supreme Court upheld Ortom’s election, noting that the verdict was overwhelming.

Relatedly, former Senate President, David Mark, congratulated Governor Ortom on the validation of his electoral victory yesterday and urged Ortom to be magnanimous in victory.

Reacting to the ruling by the Supreme Court in Abuja, Mark noted that the affirmation was a validation of the mandate given to Ortom by the Benue people.

“Be magnanimous in victory by extending a hand of fellowship to your opponent Emmanuel Jime and his supporters in the task of working for the good of Benue people,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PDP commended the Supreme Court for upholding the elections of governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ahmed Fintiri (Adamawa).

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, it, however, insisted that the judgment for those states would not sway it from abandoning the nationwide agitation for a review and reversal of the verdict on Imo State governorship poll insisting that it was a miscarriage of justice.